Abstract
Since biblical times, the labor process has been recognized as being one of the most painful human experiences. Early treatments varied widely, according to the cultural and religious practices of the time. In the middle ages, treatments such as amulets, magic girdles, and readings from the Christian liturgy were considered to be appropriate treatment. More invasive pharmacologic treatments such as the use of soporific sponges (a mixture of biologically active plants, inhaled or ingested) were sufficiently potent to cause unconsciousness. Of interest, bloodletting was used until the middle of the nineteenth century to cause swooning and thus pain relief [1]
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Halpern, S.H., Garg, R. (2015). Evidence-Based Medicine and Labor Analgesia. In: Capogna, G. (eds) Epidural Labor Analgesia. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13890-9_21
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13890-9_21
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